Leaf-turner.



W. MORRIS.

LEAP TURNER. APPLIGATIOH FI ED 1120. 9, 1910.

1,0 Patented Dec. 10,1912.

2 SHBETSSHEET 1.

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LEAF TURNER.

APPLICATION FILED DBO.

Patented Dec. 10, 1912.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEBT 2 COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH CO" WASHINGTON. D. C

WILLIAM MORRIS, OF FLINT, MICHIGAN.

LEAF-TURNER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 10, 1912.

Application filed December 9, 1910. Serial No. 596,411.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM MORRIS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Flint, in the county of Genesee and State of Michigan, have invented a new and I mproved Leaf-Turner, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates generally to means for turning the leaves of books and pamphlets, and especially to devices for turning the leaves of music, and its 'ob ect 1s to provide a leaf-turner which may be actuated by the foot of the musician.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front perspective of the device at right angles to the back of the book rest. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail of the main springs and the controlling means thereof. Fig. 4 is a perspective, similar to Fig. 1 but on a larger scale, of the leafengaging devices. Figs. 5 and 6 are cross sections on the line 5-5 and 6-6 of Fig. 4, respectively. Fig. 7 is a cross section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 1 on a larger scale. Fig. 8 is a cross section of a leaffinger on a large scale on the line 5-5 of Fi 4.

gimilar reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

The leaf-turner shown in the drawings is especially designed for musicians playing string and wind instruments although it may be properly placed for performers on pianos and organs.

The mechanism may be mounted on any desired type of stand. The preferred stand shown in the drawing comprising a base 1, an upright column 2 of any desired height, and a book-rest consisting of a shelf 3 and a back 4. The actuating mechanism is mounted on the base, and the operating mechanism on the book rest, while flexible connectors 5 extend between the two.

A shaft 6 is journaled in the lower end of the column 2 and may have any desired means to hold it in position. A cross-bar 7 is secured to the front end thereof and either arm may be depressed by the foot of the musician. A second cross bar 8 is mounted in the rear of the first and has flexible connectors of any desired material, light chains 5 preferred, attached to its outer ends, the other ends of which are connected to the wheel 22. A leaf-spring 9 extends upward from the base and 1ts arms tend to restore the cross-bar 8 to horizontal position. The

chains 10 and bolts 11 may be employed to limit the upward movement of the leaves of the spring, so that they will always be in tension. It will be readily seen that the front cross-bar 7 may be omitted. A small bolt 12 may be employed to preserve the proper shape of the leaf-spring.

Mounted on the shelf 3 and extending down parallel to the face of the back 4 is a shaft 15. On this shaft are loosely mounted the arms 16 having tubular fingers 17 at their outer ends, each of which is slitted to receive a leaf. Each arm preferably has two ears 18 perforated to fit the shaft and a flat portion 19 adapted to be engaged by the fingers 20 on the hooks21. A wheel 22 is mounted on the lower end of the shaft 15 and carries a forwardly extending plate 23, which supports a pivot 24. The hooks 21 are mounted on the pivot and are held toward each other by the spring 25. Each hook 21 rides on the flat portions 19 of all the arms 16 until the finger 17 moves forward, it will engage the front arm and swing it forward. Mounted on the shelf 3 are two springs 26 which engage the portions 27 on the arms 16. When an arm swings forward, these springs will be tensioned, until the fiat portion 27 passes the central plane, when the springs will force the arm to continue its movement. The brace 28 which extends down from the shelf, and supports the bearing 29 of the shaft 15 (Fig. 5), has rounded edges so the fingers 20 will not engage, but will slide off.

The operation of the device is as follows. When the music is placed on the shelf against the back, a leaf is inserted in each of the slits 80 of the fingers 17. The normal position of the pivot 24 is central, as shown in Fig. 5. When it is desired to swing an arm 16 from the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 5, to that in dotted lines, the musician depresses the left arm of the crossbar 7. This causes the left connector 5 to be pulled down, and the wheel 22 to turn to the right. The left arm 21 will inoperatively swing from the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 6 to that shown in dotted lines, but at that point the finger 20 will engage the portion 19 of the front arm 16, and a continued movement of the wheel 22 will swing the arm over, against the resistance of the springs 26 which are forced forward as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5. When the arm has passed the central line, the springs 26 will force the arm to continue its movement to carry the leaf e11- tirely over. The foot is then raised or removed and the spring 9 returns the parts to normal position. Repeated operations of the cross-bar 7 will cause the other arms 16 to be swung over successively to the right side of the shaft 15, carrying the leaves of the book with them. Depressing the right arm of the cross-bar 7 will cause the arms to be returned successively to the position shown in the drawings. The small rollers 41 guide the flexible connectors 5.

To hold the music or book against the back 4, a rod 32 is secured to the round bar 33 which is journaled in the sleeve 34 pivoted on the shelf 3. The bar 33 has a pin 35 adapted to engage the cam 36 carried by the spring 37 which is secured to the bottom of the shelf. A knob 38 at the end of the bar permits ready operation. When the parts are as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the cam 36 presses up against the pin 35 and holds the rod 32 against the back 4. By turning the bar, the pin presses down the cam until the high point is passed when the cam will hold the rod 32 away from the back so that music can be placed against the back.

A handle 40 permits easy handling of the rack. It will be noticed that the length of the standard 2 determines the height of the book-rest, and that the leaves of the book may be turned either way by means of the foot, while the leaves may also be turned by hand.

Having now explained my construction, what I claim to be my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a leaf turner, the combination of a book-rest comprising a back and a shelf, a 1

shaft extending downward from the shelf, a wheel mounted thereon, means to turn the wheel back and forth, leaf-turning arms mounted on the shaft adjacent the wheel, a pivot mounted at the front of said wheel, two rearwardly extending hooks mounted on said pivot, a spring having one end connected to each of the hooks to hold them against the arms, and spring rods mounted on the lower end of the rest, one on each side of the shaft, to engage each of the leafturning arms as it is moved forward and to cause it to complete its movement.

2. In a leaf turner, the combination of a book rest comprising a back and a shelf, a shaft extending downward from the shelf, a wheel mounted thereon, means to turn the wheel back and forth, leaf-turning arms mounted on the shaft above the wheel, a pivot mounted at the front of said wheel, two rearwardly extending hooks mounted on said pivot, a spring having one end connected to each of the hooks to hold them against the arms, and spring rods mounted on the lower edge of the rest, one on each side of the shaft, to engage each of the leaft-urning arms as it is moved forward and to cause it to complete its movement, a bar 33 journaled along the lower side of the rest, an upwardly extending rod 32 secured to one end of the bar, and a spring to hold the rod against the book-rest or away from the book-rest as desired.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

R0131. McGREeoR, GEO. H. Mormon.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

